Menzies turned tormentor on June 2nd
Bradford Bulls' hopes of making the Super League play-offs are hanging by a thread after a July which promised much but failed to deliver.
After an impressive win at Headingley in late June, the stage was set for Bradford to make a real push to secure a place in the play-offs for the first time in three years, but a home defeat against Catalans Dragons on July 2nd derailed those hopes.Former Bulls ace Steve Menzies turned tormentor in the game, with the 37-year-old defying his age to create three of the Dragons' seven tries and helping to tip the scales in favour of the French side, who ran out 38-24 winners.
Bradford were looking for revenge in their next match against Castleford on July 10th, and gave a good account of themselves at the Jungle, crossing the Tigers' try line five times. It was a game of narrow margins once again, however, with Jones scoring the winning try for the home side 15 minutes from time and the visitors being unable to break through, resulting in a 34-30 final score.
Hopes were far from high when the Huddersfield Giants arrived at Grattan Stadium on July 17th, particularly as the Bulls' West Yorkshire rivals had put 50 points past them the last time the sides met in March. However, Bradford gave the home support a glimmer of the dominance of yesteryear in a display which, although enhanced by the Giants' woeful defending, at least kept their hopes of securing a play-off spot alive.Paul Sykes crossed over twice to add to touchdowns from Jeffries, Kearney, Platt and Ah Van as the Bulls ran out convincing 36-0 winners.
Hopes were, therefore, high that the Bulls could repeat their display against Huddersfield when they took a trip to the Halliwell-Jones Stadium to take on high-flying Warrington on July 31st, but the two-week gap between games due to Challenge Cup quarter-final fixtures seemed to have done Bradford more harm than good. Warrington scored 12 tries to the Bulls' one in a game that was as one-sided as any seen this season.
After the game, Mick Potter conceded that his side are simply not good enough at the moment to match power with the likes of the Wolves and, with Bradford now relying on other teams to slip up to maintain their play-off hopes, it looks like another season without silverware at Odsal.